DRAGON FLIES {SPACE-X LAUNCH}

Congratulations to Elon Musk and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, better known as SpaceX. Early this morning their Falcon 9 launch vehicle put its Dragon capsule on orbit en route to the International Space Station, ISS. The capsule, lade with approximately 1000lbs of cargo, marks the 1st trip by a private space vehicle to the station.

The SpaceX team had to overcome an unplanned engine shut down on a previous launch attempt. They were successful both in making emergent repairs and rendering the vehicle safe for this launch attempt. Dragon’s heat shield will allow the return of cargo from the ISS to earth as well.

Few people will remember this day, but the implications are enormous. It is very possible that children born a decade from now will live in a world where the cost of becoming an astronaut, will be the price of the ticket they have to buy! Beam me up Elon!